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For the 39th year in a row, everyone was a Highlander in Almonte on Saturday.
Thousands crowded the Fairgrounds on the banks of the Mississippi River, to take in the skirl of the pipes and the whirl of rides.
And, of course, the traditional Highland Games were a big draw, with large men flinging or carrying very heavy objects for very long distances.
The strength competitions featured overhead stone throwing, shot putting, hammer throwing, and pole carrying.
There were 20 pipe bands in the ceremonies, with about 100 traditional dancers showing off their steps.
Along with the performances, the Highland Games are a gathering of the clans whose first settlers arrived in the region in about 1822.
The one-day event draws many from the Ottawa Valley town and surrounding area, offering those without the ancestry the opportunity to be Scottish for the day.
As the organizers say: “You don’t have to be Scottish to wear a kilt.”
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